He made a splash at the press conference: Bruno Lage's explosive response to the question about Kerem.

Benfica's head coach Bruno Lage made statements at a press conference held before the match against Braga in the League Cup. Lage also spoke about our national player Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who has been the target of criticism due to his declining performance.

"HE NEEDS TO PUSH HIS LIMITS"

Lage responded to a question about national player Kerem Aktürkoğlu. The Portuguese coach said, "Kerem's performance is declining, how do you explain this?" After the question, he stated, "We felt that some players experienced a slight drop in performance in the last two matches because we are playing every three days in a row. You might say, 'But you said you trust everyone,' and I do. I am not turning my back on anyone, I am not leaving anyone behind. But the players need to push their limits to work with me. I need to feel that they are ready to work and play at this level."

UNDER FIRE IN PORTUGAL

Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who started his Benfica career with consecutive goals and assists, has faced criticism in the Portuguese press for his silence in recent matches. The Portuguese media criticized Kerem, who has been quiet since the match against Guimaraes on December 7, after the last match against Braga. Reports in the Portuguese media stated, "It has been the fifth or sixth match where the Turkish Harry Potter has failed to enchant his opponents and has forced his team to run towards the wrong goal with poor transitions."

BENFICA STATS

Kerem Aktürkoğlu has played 27 matches for Benfica this season. The 26-year-old national star has scored 12 goals and provided 9 assists in these matches. Kerem, who transferred to the Portuguese representative at the beginning of the season, has a contract with his team until 2029.